We Choose The 25 Best Episodes of The Simpsons

15. Itchy & Scratchy Land

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• Season: 6
• Episode: 107 (2F01)
  
• First Aired: 2nd October 1994
  
• Writer: John Swartswelder
  
• Director: Wes Archer
  

Synopsis

The family’s trip to Itchy & Scratchy Land, the “violentest place on earth,” proves heavenly until the Itchy & Scratchy robots want to put the family there for real.

Memorable Quotes

Homer Simpson – “Oh, look! It’s the 12-noon Robot Parade! Hurry up, or we’ll have to wait for the 12:05 parade!”

Marge Simpson – “This truly was the best vacation ever. Now let us never speak of it again.”

Homer Simpson – “Back, you robots! Nobody ruins my family vacation but me… and maybe the boy!”

Things You May Have Missed

• The rides that aren’t in operation: Head Basher, Blood Bath, Mangler, Nurse’s Station.
• Itchy’s ’70s Disco has a smaller sign that reads “Est. 1980.”
• Bart’s Bum Bag (Fanny Pack) is labeled “Li’l Bastard Travelling Kit”

Couchgag

The family is beamed onto the couch the same way the characters are in the original Star Trek series

Chalkboard

“I am not the reincarnation of Sammy Davis, Jr.”

Movie Influence

The plot is reminiscent of the movie Westworld

14. Secrets of a Successful Marriage

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• Season: 5
• Episode: 103 (1F20)
  
• First Aired: 19 May 1994
• Writer: Greg Daniels
  
• Director: Carlos Baeza

Synopsis

Homer fears he may be a little slow, so he goes to the Adult Education Annex. While there, he decides to teach a class of his own on the secrets of a successful marriage, since that is the only thing he is good at.

Memorable Quotes

Homer Simpson – “What is a wedding? Well, Webster’s Dictionary defines it as ‘the process of removing weeds from one’s garden.’”

Homer Simpson – “All right, we’re breaking early tonight, class. For tomorrow you should read pages 7 through 18 in Lisa’s diary”

Things You May Have Missed

• The stores that remind Marge of her problems with Homer are Splitsville Ice Cream Sundaes, Broken-Home Chimney Repair, and Painful Memories Party Supplies.
• Adult Education Annex’s motto: “We Take the ‘Dolt’ out of A-Dolt Education”

Couchgag

The members of the family run in, collide and explode. Maggie’s pacifier falls to the blackened floor.

Chalkboard

“Five days is not too long to wait for a gun”

13. Hurricane Neddy

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• Season: 8
• Episode: 161 (4F07)
  
• First Aired: 29 December 1996
• Writer: Steve Young
  
• Director: Bob Anderson

Synopsis

After a hurricane blows through Springfield and destroys only Ned Flanders’ home, Ned snaps. He is checked into a psychiatric ward to discover the source of his sudden uncontrollable rage.

Memorable Quotes

Ned Flanders – “Why me, Lord? Where have I gone wrong? I’ve always been nice to people. I don’t drink or dance or swear. I’ve even kept Kosher just to be on the safe side. I’ve done everything the bible says, even the stuff that contradicts the other stuff. What more could I do? I feel like I’m coming apart here. I want to yell out, but I just can’t dang-diddily-do-dang, do-dang-diddily-darn do it!”

Ned – “I just attacked all my friends and neighbours just for trying to help me. I’d like to commit myself.

Nurse – “Very well, shall I show you to your room, or do would you like to be dragged off kicking and screaming?”

Ned – “Ooh. Kicking and screaming, please”

Things You May Have Missed

• The Juvenile Aggression Study Dr. Foster shows Ned is sponsored by Swanson’s Angry Man Dinners.
• Todd wears a Butthole Surfers T-shirt he found in the church’s donation storage.

Couchgag

A “Vend-A-Couch” is on the wall instead.

Guest Voices

Jon Lovitz as Jay Sherman

12. A Fish Called Selma

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• Season: 7
  
• Episode: 147 (3F15)
  
• First Aired: 24 March 1996
  
• Writer: Jack Barth
  
• Director: Mark Kirkland
  

Synopsis

Troy McClure’s sagging film career is given a boost when he is seen in public with a woman. And to stay in the public eye, Troy must do more than merely date this woman, who happens to be Selma.

Memorable Quotes

Troy McClure – “Hi, I’m Troy McClure, you may remember me, from such dates, as last night’s dinner.”

Selma – “What are you working on now?”

Troy – “I’ve been reading a lot of scripts lately. You know it’s a lot cheaper than going to the movies”.

Things You May Have Missed

• The following movie posters hang on Troy McClure’s walls: Astro-Heist on Gemini 3, Incident at Noon, and My Darling Beefeater.
• Among the pictures of stars on the wall of the Pimento Grove are Conan O’Brien and Birch Barlow.

Couchgag

The Simpsons walk to the couch as wind up toys and Bart and Homer malfunction before making it to the couch.

Chalkboard

The title of this episode is inspired by the comedy A Fish Called Wanda.

Guest Voices

Phil Hartman as Troy McClure, Jeff Goldblum as MacArthur Parker

11. Bart vs. Australia

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• Season: 6
  
• Episode: 119 (2F13)
  
• First Aired: 19 February 1995
  
• Writer: Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein
  
• Director: Wes Archer
  

Synopsis

In a way to spite Lisa, Bart makes a prank call to Tobias Drundridge, a naive Australian boy, which sparks international controversy.

Memorable Quotes

Lisa Simpson – “I’m impressed you were able to write so legibly on your own butt!”

Bart Simpson – “Hey, guys? Just so you don’t hear any rumours. I’m being indicted for fraud in Australia.”

Things You May Have Missed

• Bart receives notice from the Hopping Mad Collection Agency of Sydney, Australia.
• The statue hailing Australia’s founding convicts and the first prime minister is a likeness of Snake.
• Bart’s collect call costs Bruno Drundridge $900 – the same amount the Springfield Gas Company bills the Simpsons when one of Bart’s stunts detaches the family dryer in episode “Homer’s Phobia”.

Couchgag

The living room floor is a body of water. The Simpsons swim their way to the couch.

Chalkboard

“I will not hang donuts on my person”

Guest Voices

Phil Hartman as Evan Conover